The Uganda Wildlife Authority is now working double time to capture a leopard that devoured a 3-year-old kid inside the Queen Elizabeth National Park on Friday.
Toddler Snatched By Leopard
The kid was the son of one of the rangers at the park. The family lives in the staff's quarters within the perimeter of the national park. The boy was left under the care of a nanny the night he was snatched by the leopard.
It took the authorities overnight to recover his remains. Unfortunately, only the child's skull and few bones were recovered.
Leopard Remains At Large
Now, Bashir Hangi, spokesman for the Wildlife Authority, said their priority is to capture the leopard, which remains to roam in the wild. It is imperative for the animal to be transferred to a more tamed location because of the danger it poses.
The spokesman warns the animal could turn into a more dangerous predator after the incident.
Leopard Facts
Naturally, leopard only preys on smaller animals such as the gazelle, impala, deer, and wildebeest. They may sometimes prey on monkeys, rodents, and birds.
The animals are also known to bring their victims up into the trees to feast on them. This is also their way of protecting their catch from other carnivorous animals and scavengers.
Leopards are also known to be nocturnal and expectedly active during nighttime. They rest in the day, usually hidden in thick bush or trees.
The animals almost always prefer to live alone unlike their counterparts, which are occasionally seen in streaks. Leopards are the smallest in size among the class of tiger, lion, and jaguar. Leopards, however, are as agile as their bigger counterparts and can, in fact, leap more than 20 feet.
The Queen Elizabeth National Park is Uganda's most frequented among tourists. The park allows its visitors to watch leopards as they wander Mweya Peninsula nearby the Lake Edward.
How The Incident Happened
The authorities said the night when the kid was seized by the leopard, he had reportedly followed his nanny to an unfenced area within the park. The nanny was not aware that the child had followed her until she heard him screamed for help. The nanny tried to save him but the leopard quickly vanished in the bush.
The father, however, shared that the child was nabbed while sitting at their house doorway. The child was sitting with the nanny when the tragedy happened.
The child's mother is the one working as a park ranger and was at a neighbor's house when the leopard attacked.
The parents buried what was left of their child.
